What Obstacles Will PR Practitioners Face in the New Political Environment?

The entrance of a new president leads to new issues between the public and the media. There is a lack of trust in the media from current political messages. Well-known political figures, such as the White-House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, forge a divide between the public by using terms like “alternative facts” to describe fake news.

With this distrust, the increasingly bias media has been more open about their view points compared to previous years of news coverage. The opinions of journalists have become more prevalent in news coverage on cable news networks, such as FOX, CNN, and MSNBC. News coverage has drifted from explaining current events around the world, government policy, and feature stories. Instead, news networks provide personal opinions of journalists, which hampers viewer’s ability to understand the news for themselves.

The truth is harder to find in a world with “alternative facts” and it is up to public relations professionals to uphold that truth. The PR field may have a bad reputation when it comes to bending the truth; however, upholding facts vs. opinion and true vs. false is a vital role in public relations and will uphold a good reputation.

The increased distrust in media is an obstacle PR professionals will face. Deciphering the truth will be a primary component of public relations, to relay proper facts to the public. The job of public relations professionals has become more difficult with “alternative facts,” but being aware of this challenge can ensure a better future for the industry.